Workpiece reclaiming apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for reclaiming metal cladding or the like from an elongated clad workpiece, with minimal or no damage to the workpiece, so that it can be reused. The apparatus includes an improved carriage-mounted shearing tool that is advanced or walked progressively along the workpiece and after making an initial separation of the cladding from the workpiece completes the separation by a unique peeling of the cladding from the workpiece. The apparatus may also be provided with an impact type tool for use in the decladding operation.

United States Patent [151 3,673,899

Plichta 1 July 4, 1972 541 WORKPIECE RECLAIMING 3,399,585 9/1968 Ahlen..s3/3

APPARATUS [72] lnventor: Dietmar G. Plichta, Oakland, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation, Oakland, Calif.

{22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1-970 [21] Appl. No.: 97,153

[52] US. Cl. ....83/4, 90/38 A [51] Int. Cl ..B23d 7/10 [58] Field ofSearch ..83/4, 3, 1; 156/584; 90/38 A, 90/38 R, 24 D, 24 E [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,081,673 3/1963 Ansel ..90/24 EPrimary Examiner-James M. Meister Attorney-James E. Toomey, Paul E.Calrow, Harold L. Jenkins and John S. Rhaades [5 7] ABSTRACT Anapparatus for reclaiming metal cladding or the like from an elongatedclad workpiece, with minimal or no damage to the workpiece, so that itcan be reused. The apparatus includes an improved carriage-mountedshearing tool that is advanced or walked progressively along theworkpiece and after making an initial separation of the cladding fromthe workpiece completes the separation by a unique peeling of thecladding from the workpiece. The apparatus may also be provided with animpact type tool for use in the decladding operation.

16 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures WORKPIECE RECLAIMING APPARATUS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for reclaimingmetal cladding from an elongated workpiece. More particularly, itrelates to an improved apparatus for removing metal cladding or the likefrom an elongated metal workpiece, such as a metal rail, in aprogressive and efficient manner with minimal or no damage to the rail.

Various workpiece reclaiming or treating apparatus of the type withwhich the instant invention is concerned are exemplified by U.S. Pat.No. 3,081,673 to Ansel, granted Mar. 19, 1963, and U.S. Pat. No.3,399,585 to Ahlert granted Sept. 3, 1968. These prior art apparatushave had certain deficiencies in that they have not been designed toremove a mass of cladding from an elongated workpiece and for the fulllength thereof in a single and incremental stroke of a shearing tool.

The apparatus of the instant invention is capable of removing a mass ofmetal cladding from a length of metal rail for the entire length of therail in progressive and incremental strokes of a shearing tool that canbe mounted on a carriage in an improved fashion.

The shearing device is advanced at all times in a fully controlledmanner relative to the workpiece. By reason of the fact that theshearing device is always under the precise control of the operator,there is minimal or no damage to the workpiece during the shearingoperation. The absence of damage to the base portion of a workpiece orrail enables ready reclamation and reuse of the workpiece and asignificant reduction in the overall cost of mass producing cladworkpieces of the type under consideration.

SUMMARY OF THE INSTANT INVENTION A primary purpose of the instantinvention is to provide an improved device for reclaiming metal claddingfrom'an elongated metal clad workpiece, said device comprising ashearing tool mounted on a carriage and adapted to move in progressivestrokes alone the workpiece for the entire length thereof.

The carriage and the shearing tool are provided with improved means forholding and guiding the shearing tool along the rail or the like to beworked on.

The apparatus of the instant invention has various uses and isparticularly useful in removing the cladding from a clad third rail ofthe type disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,737 of Thomas A.Nowak, which issued Dec. 1, 1970. Thus the clad rail can comprise anI-shaped beam having an apertured web, with cast cladding materialbonded to opposite sides of the web and intermediate the flanges of theI-beam and filling the web apertures. The shearing tool of the instantinvention is adapted to progressively separate and coil up the claddingfrom one side of the web, for example, the top side of the web, duringadvancement of the carriage into and along the initially clad rail.After decladding and coiling of the cladding on one side of the rail,the apparatus can employ an impact type of tool, such as a conventionalhammer, for separating the cladding on the other side of the rail fromthe rail.

The carriage of the apparatus can be advantageously provided with aworkpiece coupling pin for engaging both the rail and the claddingmaterial separated from the bottom of the rail, so as to remove theseparated cladding and rail from the working or decladding area at theend of the reclaiming operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is a fragmentary sideelevational view of a preferred embodiment of a workpiece reclaimingapparatus of the instant invention;

FIG. 1B is a somewhat reduced fragmentary and somewhat schematic sideelevational view of certain anchoring elements for the apparatus of FIG.1 and illustrates in dotted and solid lines sevcral operative positionsof these elements;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with portionsremoved and, when taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a clad railworkpiece that can be worked on by the apparatus of the instantinvention, with parts broken away;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, withparts of the shearing tool added in dotted lines and illustratesprogressive decladding or removal of the clad material from theworkpiece;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the right-hand endof the apparatus as depicted in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the right-hand endof the framework for mounting the shearing tool, as viewed in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the head end of theshearing and peeling tool, with certain elements removed as viewed fromline 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG.1A, with parts removed and other parts broken away;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged crosssectional view taken within the bounds ofline 9 of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With further reference to the drawings andparticularly FIG. 1A, 1B, and 2, a preferred embodiment of thereclaiming apparatus of the instant invention is used to declad anelongated composite metal rail W in a continuous and progressive manner.The composite rail W can comprise an I-shaped steel rail provided with abase portion 12 having an apertured web and aluminum cladding material14 cast in place in the channels between the flanges, all as indicatedin FIGS. 3-4.

The cladding 14 can comprise clad portions 16 and 18 disposed inrecesses 20 on opposite sides of web 22 of rail 12 and between opposedflanges as well as rivet portions 28 that fill the web apertures 26 ofworkpiece W. Even though upper and lower clad sections 16 and 18 aremechanically bonded to opposite sides of the web 22 and interlocked byportions 28, the reclaiming apparatus I0 can separate the upper andlower clad sections 16 and 18 from the rail or base element and eachother at the line of rail and cladding jointure 29 without any or mostminimal injury to the rail so that it can be reused without expensivereconditioning being required.

Apparatus 10 generally comprises a carriage 30 having an extendable tool32 for shearing and peeling the cladding from the clad workpiece W, allmounted on a tablelike framework or trackway 34. The framework includesa pair of opposing and spaced parallel tracks 36 which support carriage30 and run for substantially the full length of framework 34. As bestindicated in FIGS. 2, 5-6 and 89, framework 34 also includes anelongated pocket 38 interposed between the pair of tracks 36. Pocket 38has suitable locks for receiving and positively holding a workpiece W inoperative relation to tool 32 during operation of the apparatus.

Retractable anchoring lug-type elements 40 and 42 are carried onopposite sides of carriage 30 and disposed in alignment with the tracks36. A series of longitudinally spaced stop blocks 44 are suitablymounted in the tracks 36 and stop block elements 44 are adapted toengage lug-type elements 40 and 42 and to act as anchor elements forcarriage 30 during operation of the instant apparatus, as will bedescribed more fully hereinafter. An impact type of tool to be describedhereinafter can be carried by apparatus 10 for separating lower cladding18 and rivets 28 from rail 12 after the shearing tool 32 has peeled theupper cladding 16 from rail 12. Altemately, the operator can use ahammer H to drive the cladding from holes 26 in the rail.

If desired, shearing tool 32 can be provided with a workpiece couplerpin 48 that can fit in the openings of web W of the rail after the rivetmaterial has been removed for the purpose of ejecting the reclaimed railfrom apparatus 10, as will be hereinafter described.

In manufacture of rail W, while the l-beam 12 may be on the order of 60feet in length, the cladding will be of somewhat less length. Thisfactor facilitates the alignment and engagement of shearing tool 32 withone end of upper cladding 16 prior to effecting separation of the I-beamand the cladding. Since the particular manner by which cladding is caston and about an I-beam to form a workpiece W does not constitute part ofthe instant invention, no discussion of the same will be given, andreference can be made to the aforementioned Nowak patent for one methodfor cladding the workpiece W.

The clad workpiece W is usually reclaimed by the apparatus of theinstant invention because it has been rejected as failing to meetcertain production specifications. For example, slight non-tolerablethickness variations may occur in one of the cladding sections. Eventhough a roll-formed base rail 12 or workpiece W may not be absolutelystraight from one end to the other, the apparatus of the instantinvention will still effectively separate the cladding 14 from a rail 12with no or minimal injury to the rail.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, carriage 30 is generallycomprised of a channel-shaped plate 52 which serves as an overallhousing and of opposed end plates 54 which close off the open ends ofhousing 52. Housing 52 is equipped with idler wheels 56. A given wheel56 is mounted on a stub-shaft 58 projecting from the inner face of plate52, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, and wheel 56 has a groove 60 thatinterfits with flange element 106 on tracks 36.

An extendable shearing tool 32 is carried by housing 52 and includes afluid actuator 62 disposed therein. As depicted in FIG. 1, the opposedend plates 64 of the fluid cylinder of actuator 62 extend between andare connected to the opposed inside surfaces of carriage end plates 54.In connecting plates 64 of actuator 62 to the end plates of carriage 30,the longitudinal axis 67 of the actuator is preferably arranged so as tobe aligned with the longitudinal axis 68 of the framework of theapparatus as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, apiston rod subassembly comprised of a double acting piston 69 isdisposed in the cylinder 66, and a piston rod is connected to the piston69. The forward end of the rod 70 extends through aligned apertures inplate 64 and 54 at the righthand end of carriage 30, as viewed in FIG.1A.

A hydraulic control system 50 is used to operate piston 69, as indicatedin FIGS. 1A and 2. System 50' is generally comprised of a pump motor 51'that drives a hydraulic fluid pump 52 and a reservoir 53 for supplyingfluid to pump 52 through supply conduit 54'. Motor 51' is connected topump 52' by way of motor input shaft 55, pump input shaft 56 and aclutch 57' is interposed between and interconnected to input shafts 55'and 56, as best indicated in FIGS. l2. Motor 51', clutch 57', pump 52'and reservoir 53 are all advantageously mounted on a platform 58 affixedto the top of carriage housing 52. If desired, pump 52' and reservoir 53can be enclosed by a common housing 60. A solenoid operated valve 62'mounted on an upstanding bracket 63 affixed to the right end of carriage52 is operatively connected to pump fluid outlet conduit 64 forselectively directing fluid under pressure to either side of piston 69by way of supply conduits 66' and 67 connected to opposite ends ofcylinder 66 in the manner shown in FIG. 1A. Exhaust conduit 68'extending between and interconnected to valve 62 and reservoir 53returns fluid form cylinder 66 to the reservoir through line 66 or 67whenever valve 62' directs fluid under pressure from pump 52' tocylinder 66 through pump outlet 64' and line 67' or 66' as the case maybe. Thus, valve 62' functions to selectively direct fluid under pressureto opposite sides of piston 69 so as to cause advancement of the same inopposite directions, thereby causing corresponding and opposing strokemovements S of shearing tool 32 to take place during operation ofapparatus 10.

Shearing tool 32 can be comprised of a main cross and support barelement 72 equipped with a socket 74 for receiving in interlockedrelationship the free end of rod 70 of piston rod subassembly. Theopposite ends of cross bar 72 are equipped with grooved idler wheels 76mounted on stub shafts 78. Covers 80 can be used for wheels 76, ifdesired, and the grooves 82 of wheels 76 interfit with flanges on thetracks 36.

The leading end of tool 32 is rigged with a shearing plow 84. Plow 84 iscomprised of a channel-shaped support 86 and a heavy duty shearing blade88, floatable connected thereto. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and7, the web of channel 86 is affixed to the right-hand side of bar 72 anddisposed in centered relation to the longitudinal axis 67 of actuator72. Blade 88 is provided with an outwardly facing concave surface 90that facilitates shearing of a cladding section from a workpiece Wduring formation of the severed cladding into a progressively built-upcoil C as the blade traverses the clad rail. Blade 88 has a bottomcutaway section within which a cutting blade insert 92 can be mounted.The concave right-hand side 94 of blade insert 92 constitutes a smoothand uninterrupted extension of the concave surface 90 of blade 88 andinsert 92 includes a cutting edge 96.

Shear 88 has a width that is somewhat less than the distance between theflanges 87 of channel 86. This allows blade 88 to be freely inserted andfloated between the flanges 87 of support 86. A pair of verticallyaligned and relatively spaced closed end slots 98 extend between opposedmajor side faces of blade 88. After blade 88 is inserted between theopposed flanges of support 86, a nut-stud assembly 100 is passed througheach blade slot 98 and openings in the opposed flanges of support 86whereby blade 88 can be slidably and floatably mounted to support 86. Ifdesired, a cover plate 102 can extend between and be connected to theupper end of channel support 86 for limiting excessive movement of blade88 relative to its support during operation of the apparatus.

The width of blade 88 is also somewhat less than the width of thechannel recess 20 of a rail W. Because of blade 88 being slidably andfloatingly mounted to channel 86, blade cutting edges 96 maintainsubstantial alignment with the point of juncture 29 between a section ofcladding l6 and rail web 22 upon progressive separation of uppercladding 16 during operation of the apparatus despite slight variationsin web straightness along the length of workpiece W, such as forexample, a slight helical twist of the workpiece from one end to theother. By virtue of blade cutting edge 96 maintaining substantialalignment with the jointure line 29 between a cladding section 16 andthe workpiece web, injury to the workpiece base 12 such as, for example,gouging, etc., is for all practical purposes prevented. Since blade 88is free to float in channel 86 and has a width less than the opposedflanges 87 and 24 of channel 86 and workpiece base element 12,respectively, as aforedescribed, blade 88 can be freely advanced alongand for the full length of the workpiece without binding engagementoccurring between workpiece and tool.

In another advantageous embodiment of the instant invention, each track36 is comprised on an l-shaped element mounted on supports 104 andhaving opposed flanges 106 and a web 107. The bracing element extendsbetween and is connected to a pair of transversely aligned supports orlegs 104 at their upper ends. If desired, a reinforcing cover plate 108can be connected to the upper end ofa given leg 104 prior to attachmentof the leg to a track 36.

Workpiece pocket 38 of framework 34 interposed between tracks 36substantially extends from one end of the framework to the other and isequipped with a series of longitudinally spaced idler rolls 114 attachedto cross braces 110 for rotatably engaging and supporting the bottomlongitudinal edges of the opposed flanges 24 of workpiece W when theworkpiece is placed in a pocket 38 in the manner illustrated in FIGS.1A, 5-6 and 8.

Rollers 114 are attached to cross braces 110 by way of roller stubshafts 116 and arranged in openings in bracket flanges 122. plate 124arranged across opposed flanges 106 of the pair of tracks 36 anddisposed above the level of rollers 114 serves as a simple stop forengaging the end of a workpiece W to prevent the movement thereof duringoperation of the apparatus.

In order to insure that a workpiece W disposed in pocket 38 will beautomatically aligned with a shearing tool blade 88, pocket 38 isequipped with side guide elements 126 affixed to the inside of innertrack flanges 106 and the top surfaces of cross beams 110. A guideelement 126 is made up of an upstanding beveled plate 128 covered by aguide strip 136. The sides 140 of strips 136 are spaced across from eachother at a distance that is somewhat larger than the width of aworkpiece W whereby a workpiece W can be readily slipped in the pocket38 and into contact with the support rolls 114.

In another advantageous embodiment of the instant invention, apparatuscan be provided with at least a pair of snap lock clamps 142 disposedtransversely of the longitudinal axis of the apparatus for clampinglyengaging a workpiece W between he ends thereof when the workpiece isdisposed in pocket 38. A clamp 142 includes a channel-shaped mountingbracket 144, a pivotal Z-shaped clamping arm 146 and a manually actuatedL-shaped pivotal locking arm 148. When a pair of clamps 142 are in aclamping position, as indicated in FIG. 8, the opposed upper ends ofZ-shaped clamping arm 146 do not obstruct the advancement of blade 88along the path of travel in the upper channel recess of workpiece Wduring operation of the apparatus.

As indicated in FIGS. 1A and 2, each retractable lug-type element 40 iscomprised of a block 150 of roughly rectangular shape. The lower bottomend face 151 of a block 150 has a convex shape and faces towards thecarriage. As viewed in FIGS. 1A and 2, channel-shaped brackets 154 areconnected to the left-hand end of carriage housing at a location thereonabove and in alignment with tracks 36. The width of a block 150 issomewhat less than the channel recess of a bracket 154 whereby the blockcan be freely inserted in the channel recess of a bracket 154 andslidably mounted between the top and bottom of the bracket recess. Thewidth of a given block 150 is also somewhat less than the upper channelwidth of a track 36 whereby the lower end of a given block 150 can belowered into and then retracted out of the upper channel recess of itsassociated track 36 during operation of the apparatus 10. Each block 150includes a longitudinally extending closed end slot 156. Each bracket154 is provided with aligned flange apertures 158, and these alignedapertures are also disposed in alignment with the slot of a block 150when the block is inserted in the recess of the associated bracket. Apin 160 fits in all of the aforesaid aligned apertures and slots in theblocks and brackets and serves to mount the blocks within theirrespective brackets and guides 154. If desired, a reinforcing plate 162can be interposed between and connected to the pair of brackets 154.

A manually operated crank lever device 164 operatively connected toblocks 150 is used to raise and lower anchor blocks 150 in and out oftracks 36. Device 164 includes a lever 166 carried by shaft 168 andshaft 168 is mounted in brackets 170 affixed to the top of carriageplate 52. Actuating arms 172 and chains 174 serve to connect blocks 150with shaft 168. A lug 176 affixed to carriage 52 is adapted to engagecrank arm 166 when the crank arm is in the horizontal position as shownin solid lines in FIG. 1A. At this same time, the lower ends of blockelements 150 are in a lowered position for slidably engaging theirassociated track blocks 44. When, however, arm 166 is moved by theoperator clockwise, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1A, to aposition where it engages the bottom of fixed lug 176, shaft 168 and apair of arms 172 affixed thereto are correspondingly rotated and chains174 and blocks 150 are elevated whereby blocks 150 are released fromstop blocks 44 so that carriage 30 can be advanced a selected distancealong the frame work. It is to be understood that lever 166 can bepivotally connected to shaft 168 by a pin 168' so that the fork end oflever 166 can be pivoted outwardly to clear lug 176 as it is moved upand down.

As indicated particularly in FIGS. 2, and 5, the second pair of lug typeelements 42 is comprised of a pair of liftable lugtype rods 178. Eachrod 178 has a lifting ring 180 at the upper end thereof and is adaptedto be inserted in aperture 179 in the shearing tool cross-bar carrier72. Each aperture 179 is aligned with a track 36. Upstanding groovedbrackets 184 are affixed to the top of carrier 72 and disposed betweenrods 178 therein. A groove 186 of each bracket is adapted to receive alocking pin 1820f an associated rod 178. Pin 182 is attached to a rod178 intermediate the ends thereof, and after a rod 178 is lifted up andout of engagement with a block 44, it can be held in an elevatedposition by rotating the pin into registry with groove 186 of theassociated bracket. When pin 182 is lifted out of a groove 186 of abracket 184 and rotated out of the plane of the bracket, rod 178 can belowered into engagement with the stop block 44. Pin 182 of a givenlug-type rod 178 abuts the top of tool bar 72 when the rod is in itslowered position so as to prevent disconnection of the rod therefromduring operation of the apparatus.

Each track block 44 of either series of such blocks has a width that issomewhat less than the width of an upper channel recess of a given track36, and it is suitably affixed to the top surface of the web of itsassociated track 106. As indicated in FIGS. lA-lB, 2 and 5, theleft-hand end face 188 of the given block 44, as shown in these drawingfigures, is cut away and inclined in an upward and forward directiontoward the righthand end of the block. The right-hand end face 190 of ablock 44, however, is not cut away as indicated. For a reason that willbecome more apparent hereinafter, the distance D between the right-handend faces 190 of successive blocks of a given series of blocks issomewhat less than the amount of the full stroke S of shearing tool 32.As indicated in FIG. 6, endmost blocks 44 of both series of blocks onopposite sides of pocketway 38 at the right end of framework 34 are notprovided with inclined surfaces 188. This is to avoid advancement ofcarriage 30 beyond the right-hand end of the framework.

It should be observed that the lower ends of blocks and rods 178 whenthese blocks and rods are positioned in their lowered position asaforedescribed, normally simply slide along the webs 107 of theirassociated tracks 36 when not engaging blocks 44 during advancement ofcarriage 30 alone the framework.

, The normally upwardly biased rod coupler 48 carried by shearing toolcarrier 72 is comprised of a shank 198 that fits in an aperture 200provided in carrier 72. The aperture 200 is aligned with the workpiecepocket 38. The upper end of shank 198 is provided with an enlarged head202 from which a lateral pin 204 projects. A coil spring 206 surroundscoupler shank 198 and acts to normally biasthe coupler to an upward andout-of-way position relative to a workpiece W disposed in pocket 38,especially during advancement of the carrier 32 to the right, as shownin FIGS. 1A-1B and 5.

An upstanding slotted bracket 208 is affixed to the top of tool carrier72 and adjacent coupler 48. Coupler 48 can be locked in a loweredposition when the coupler is pressed down against the bias of spring 198by the operator until pin 204 is aligned with the slot 209 of bracket208 and then rotated until it fits into the slot.

When coupler 48 is lowered, as noted above, the shank 198 can either fitinto an opening in the rail web or engage the right-hand end of the baseelement or rail 12, particularly after the rail has been completelystripped of cladding material, all as indicated in FIG. 4. When thelower end of coupler shank 198 engages the right-hand end of a cladworkpiece, carriage 30 along with tool carrier 72 can be advanced fromright to left as viewed in FIGS. 1-4 in order to discharge the workpiecebase element, or rail, together with the separated lower cladding 18from the framework pocket 38. A power winch (not shown) can be connectedto plate 162 that projects from the left-hand end of the carriage 30 soas to move carriage 30 and tool 32 along with workpiece portions 12 and18 from left to right in discharging the workpiece, etc., prior toanother operative cycle of the apparatus.

In order to facilitate servicing of apparatus 10, carriage 30 can beprovided with a U-shaped hoisting bar 248 equipped with a bale or eyeelement 250 for receiving a chain hook (not shown). If desired, and asnoted in FIG. 1A, a portable oil reservoir dispenser device 252 ismounted on tool bar carrier 72 for supplying a selected amount oflubricant to shearing blade 88 during operation of the apparatus.

In order to counteract forces exerted on carriage 30 during removal ofupper cladding 16 which would tend to derail carriage 30, the carriageis preferably provided at the ends thereofwith hold-don devices 254.Each one of the hold-down devices is comprised of a strap 256 and anidler wheel 258 affixed to the inside and bottom portion of the strap.The wheels 258 of longitudinally aligned straps 256 engage the bottomflange 106 of a given track 36 in the manner indicated in dotted linesin FIG. 8 so as to hold carriage 30 in continual rolling engagement withthe tracks 36.

Although not heretofore mentioned, apparatus 10 can be provided with acommercially available vibrator tool 260. As indicated in FIG. 1A, thevibrator tool 260 is affixed to the post of oil dispenser device 252 andincludes a reciprocal hammer ram 262 for impacting coupler pin 48whereby lower cladding 18 can be separated from rail 12 in a similarmanner as with the conventional hand hammer I-I indicated in FIG. 4.Thus upon the vibrator tool impacting the head end 202 of coupling shank198, the lower end of shank 198 impacts the selected rivet portion 28oflower cladding 28 so as to progressively separate the same from therail.

In an advantageous embodiment of the instant invention a clad workpieceW is first inserted in the pocket 38 by hand or by a hoisting device.After positioning and locking workpiece W in a pocket 38 by way of theclamp arms 46, shown in FIG. 8, lug-type blocks 150 are lowered so as toengage selected ones of their associated blocks 44 in the tracks 36whereby the carriage 30 can be held in a selected stationary position asshearing tool 32 is progressively advanced from left to right, as viewedin the several drawings, and across the web of the rail so as todislodge and peel the upper cladding 16 from the rail.

Thus, assuming that shearing tool 32 was in a retracted position inFIGS. lA-lB, and 2, control system 50 is operated to actuate valve 62and direct fluid under pressure to the left side of piston 69 so tocause extension of rod 70 and movement of tool carrier 72 along withtool blade 88 across the web 22 of rail 12 for the distance S. In thisfirst stroke S, blade 88 acts like a plow that engages the cladding andprogressively separates a portion of the upper cladding 16 from the baseelement 12 and from lower cladding 18, thereby coiling or rolling up thecladding in snowball fashion. It is to be noted that due to the improvedfashion that the blade 88 is mounted, the instant apparatus cleanly,smoothly and progressively shears the cladding from the rail web withouteither edge or bottom binding or gouging, despite some vertical orlateral deviation of the rail along the length thereof. Simultaneouslythe movement of blade 88 from left to right in FIGS. lA-lB effectsprogressive coiling or snowballing of the separated upper cladding 16into the coil C. During this first stroke S, the lower ends of theforemost lug-type elements 178 simply slidably engage and ride up andover the various pairs of transversely aligned blocks 44 on tracks 36 byvirtue of the left end faces of the blocks 44 being sloped upwardly.Substantially throughout the first tool stroke S the first or rearwardair of blocks 150 are disposed in their lowered position and in abuttingengagement with the right end face 190 of their respective blocks 144.

As carrier 72 and tool blade 88 advance for the full distance of thefirst stroke S, the second lugs 178 will have positioned themselvesadjacent to right-hand end faces of certain forward blocks 44 in thetracks 36. Thus, when the control system reactuates valve 62' to directfluid under pressure to the rod side of piston 69, lugs 178 will bearagainst the stop blocks 44 so that they contact and force carriage 32 tobe dragged from left to right as viewed in FIGS. A1B, and with blocks150 being allowed to ride up and over various pairs of blocks 44 due tothe slack in chains 174 until the blocks 150 come to rest on the rightor thrust side of another pair of blocks 44 prior to another stroke S oftool 32 during operation of the apparatus.

During advancement of the carriage 30 from left to right, carriage 30acts as a walking beam, using the forwardmost lugs 178 in blocks 44 topull the carriage to a new carriage holding position and using therearmost lugs and a given set of blocks 44 to anchor and hold carriage30 stationary as shearing tool 32 along with block 88 is advanced acrossthe workpiece in the manner of a plow. This incremental and progressiveadvancement of the shearing tool 88 is effected until all of the uppercladding 16 is separated from the rail.

After separation and coiling of upper cladding 16, lower cladding can beseparated from the bottom of the web of base 12 when the operatorstrikes a hammer H against the top side of the web of base element 12 asaforedescribed or operates the impact vibrator tool 260. Upon the baseelement 12 and lower cladding 18 being separated, they can be dischargedtogether from the left end of pocket 38 when coupler pin 48 is loweredand locked to the right-hand end of the base element and when thecarriage 30 is advanced such as, for example, by a power winch (notshown) to the left together with the coupled base element.

If desired, the lower cladding can be removed by inverting the workpieceand resetting the tool 32 for renewed movement from left to right acrossthe web of the base element 12 in the manner aforedescribed. Uponremoval of lower cladding 18, any rivet portions 28 remaining in webapertures 26 could be removed such as by an appropriate punchout tool,etc. Thereafter the rail 12 can be reclaimed for future use.

Advantageous embodiments of a workpiece reclaiming device have beenshown and described. It is obvious that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the appendedclaims wherein:

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An apparatus for incrementally and progressively separating claddingmaterial or the like from a workpiece, said apparatus comprising thecombination of a trackway and carriage means provided with an extensibleshearing tool means movable along said trackway, actuator means for saidtool means mounted on said carriage means, means for holding a cladworkpiece on said trackway in a stationary position relative to saidcarriage means and said tool means, spaced stop block means on saidtrackway, a first lug-type element movably mounted on said carriagemeans and a second lugtype element movably mounted on said tool means,and means for effecting alternate and sequential engagement betweencertain ones of the stop block means and first one and then the other ofsaid first and second lug-type elements in order to cause alternate andprogressive indexing advancement of said carriage means along thetrackway and said shearing tool along the length of the clad workpieceso as to effect progressive and incremental separation of the claddingmaterial from the workpiece upon selective actuation of the actuatormeans.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the trackway has apocket means for receiving the workpiece.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the carriage means isprovided with hold-down elements for maintaining the carriage inengagement with the trackway during actuation of the tool actuatormeans.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for floatablymounting said shearing tool means relative to said trackway and aworkpiece disposed thereon.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a carrier device forsaid shearing tool means, said carrier device being connected to saidcarriage by said actuator means.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including workpiece couplermeans mounted on said carrier device for selectively engaging theworkpiece and ejecting the workpiece from the trackway.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including roller means formaintaining said carrier device on said trackway.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said coupler includesbiasing means for holding said coupler in a raised position relative tosaid tool means and in spaced relation to a workpiece mounted on saidtrackway.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said first lugtypemeans includes lever and chain means for selectively elevating saidfirst lug-type element relative to said carriage means.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including bracket meansconnected to said tool means for selectively engaging said secondlug-type element when said second lug-type element has been elevatedrelative to said tool means in order to hold said second lug-typeelement in spaced relation to the stop block means.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a device forlubricating said tool means during operation of said apparatus andcarried by said carrier device.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said tool meansincludes an arcuate concave surface for coiling up the cladding materialas it is separated from the workpiece during operation of the apparatus.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including an impact tool meansfor dislodging a second section of cladding from a workpiece after afirst section of cladding has been removed from the workpiece.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which each block of theblock means includes an upwardly inclined surface for slidably engaginga first or second lug-type element during advancement of said carriagemeans and said tool means along said trackway.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for clamping aworkpiece to said trackway.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said trackway includesa guide plate means and a pocket for receiving and holding a workpiecein a stationary position relative to said carriage means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CO .ECTIUN Patent No.3,673,899 Dated July 4, 1972 Inventor) Dietmar G. Plichta it iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 40, "alone" should bealong Column 2, line 26, "FIG."should be FIGS.

Column 2, lines 43-44, "or most" should be or at most Column 3, line 63,"form" should be from Column 4, line 6, "floatable" should be floatablyColumn 4, line 31, "excessive movement" should be excessive upwardmovement I Column 5, line 13, "he" should be the Column 6, line 38',"alone" should be along Column 7, line 7, "hold-don" should be hold downColumn 7, line 24, "'cladding 28" should be cladding l8 Column 7, line60, "air shouldbe pair Column7, line 70, "FIGS. A-lB" should be FIGS.lA-lB Signed and sealed this 12th day of December 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD MELETC IHERJR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Off1cer- Commissionerof Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) V USCQMM-DC 50375 259 i? [L5, GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE 2 I969 O365-334

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the trackway has apocket means for receiving the workpiece.
 3. An apparatus as set forthin claim 1 wherein the carriage means is provided with hold-downelements for maintaining the carriage in engagement with the trackwayduring actuation of the tool actuator means.
 4. An apparatus as setforth in claim 1 including means for floatably mounting said shearingtool means relative to said trackway and a workpiece disposed thereon.5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a carrier device forsaid shearing tool means, said carrier device being connected to saidcarriage by said actuator means.
 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5including workpiece coupler means mounted on said carrier device forselectively engaging the workpiece and ejecting the workpiece from thetrackway.
 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including roller meansfor maintaining said carrier device on said trackway.
 8. An apparatus asset forth in claim 6 in which said coupler includes biasing means forholding said coupler in a raised position relative to said tool meansand in spaced relation to a workpiece mounted on said trackway.
 9. Anapparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said first lug-type meansincludes lever and chain means for selectively elevating said firstlug-type element relative to said carriage means.
 10. An apparatus asset forth in claim 1 including bracket means connected to said toolmeans for selectively engaging said second lug-type element when saidsecond lug-type element has been elevated relative to said tool means inorder to hold said second lug-type element in spaced relation to thestop block means.
 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including adevice for lubricating said tool means during operation of saidapparatus and carried by said carrier device.
 12. An apparatus as setforth in claim 1 in which said tool means includes an arcuate concavesurface for coiling up the cladding material as it is separated from theworkpiece during operation of the apparatus.
 13. An apparatus as setforth in claim 1 including an impact tool means for dislodging a secondsection of cladding from a workpiece after a first section of claddinghas Been removed from the workpiece.
 14. An apparatus as set forth inclaim 1 in which each block of the block means includes an upwardlyinclined surface for slidably engaging a first or second lug-typeelement during advancement of said carriage means and said tool meansalong said trackway.
 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 includingmeans for clamping a workpiece to said trackway.
 16. An apparatus as setforth in claim 1 in which said trackway includes a guide plate means anda pocket for receiving and holding a workpiece in a stationary positionrelative to said carriage means.